Russian TV 'accidentally' broadcasts secret nuclear plans

Vladimir Putin has been left embarrassed after supposedly top-secret nuclear submarine plans were broadcast on Russian television.

State-controlled stations NTV and Channel One showed the Russian President looking at details of a weapons system, dubbed Status-6, while meeting with military officials in Sochi on Monday, The Guardian reports.

According to a translation of the document, the system involves nuclear torpedoes creating "zones of extensive radioactive contamination making them unsuitable for military or economic activity for a long period".

"It’s true some secret data got into the shot, therefore it was subsequently deleted," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"In future we will undoubtedly take preventive measures so this does not happen again."

Putin had warned during the meeting that Russia "will take necessary retaliatory measures to strengthen the potential of our strategic nuclear forces".

The apparent blunder comes as tensions continue to mount between Russia and NATO over military action in Syria and Russian belligerence in Eastern Europe.